This post is going to sound snarky, or like I’ve got a chip on my shoulder. In fact, I do have a chip on my shoulder. I’ve seen for-profit organizations not give the best to their clients for various reasons, and I’ve seen non-profit organizations (like church job groups) not give the clients the best. Below are some theories why. Of course there are very, very few exceptions to what I write below… but yes, there are some outplacement firms that do recommend JibberJobber heavily.
I recently got an email from a client of a really big (one of the top 3) outplacement firms in the world. This is a multi-billion dollar business, folks. Here’s part of the email:
I wanted to mention that I am working with the Lee Hecht Harrison (LHH) outplacement service and this is where someone recently mentioned Jibber Jobber.
LHH has always emphasized the importance of having a tool to manage all the data that a job search will generate, but they do not recommend any specific solution. That is why many people default to using excel and then “out-grow” its effectiveness as you get a lot of data and try to associate information.
As a recommendation, if you could have companies like LHH put Jibber Jobber forward as a potential solution to manage data you may be able to drive increased sales.
I have been in the job search for over 4 months now and I would have liked to have known about this tool earlier in my search.
Ah, what a question!
Over the last 5+ years I have been trying to work with outplacement companies so they would heartily recommend JibberJobber, which I’m biased about, but I think is the best thing to organize and manage a job search.
In fact, in my mind, one of the companies that might acquire JibberJobber would be one of the top 3 outplacement firms (Right Management, LHH or DBM). None of them have anything that touches JibberJobber… that’s what I’ve been told from their consultants (job coaches and counselors) and from their clients.
I know there are some consultants at various locations that recommend JibberJobber. They teach classes about it, tell their clients to get on it, put it in their newsletter, etc.
But not one outplacement firm, that I know of, solely and strongly recommends the tool.
Why not?
Here again is the last line from above:
I have been in the job search for over 4 months now and I would have liked to have known about this tool earlier in my search.
It’s frustrating that JibberJobber, which is five years old now, isn’t THE recommended tool.
Have I tried to get in.
Big time. But I hit brick wall after brick wall. I haven’t been able to network in. Most consultants haven’t been able to introduce me to anyone at the corporate level.
I did have an interesting conversation at the corporate level at Right Management, but the person there didn’t “get” JibberJobber. Why would anyone want to use it, he wondered.
No matter what I said, did or showed him, he didn’t get it. He said it would fail, like all CRM systems fail (when implemented). He never understood that I wasn’t trying to get Right to use it as their CRM, rather to offer it to their clients, WHO NEED IT!
A corporate person didn’t get it, and killed it.
I had another conversation with someone high up at LHH. Apparently he was responsible for developing a lot of the curriculum that LHH used world-wide (or, at least in the U.S.). The most I could gather from that conversation is that since he didn’t develop or design JibberJobber, and it didn’t fit in totally with the nomenclature of his systems, they wouldn’t even consider it.
So, we have pride, ignorance and kingdom issues.
Why isn’t outplacement recommending JibberJobber?
I think it comes down to them (a) not spending time understanding how vital this tool is in a job search, and (b) not taking time to learn what their candidates (the job seekers) needs are.
It’s unfortunate.
But for five years I’ve tried and tried, and now, five years later, I get an email like the one above.
It makes me wonder what other tools, techniques and strategies these groups are withholding from their candidates.
All I can say is this: if you are an outplacement client, please go back to your coach and counselor and consultant and let them know how valuable it has been for you.
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